Abstract
Wood and charcoal fuels, widely used in Sierra Leone for cooking, may impact indoor air quality. Until now, there is presently lack of data to quantify the extent of impact. In this study, concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), suspended particulate matter (SPM) and carbon monoxide (CO) were measured in kitchens with wood and charcoal stoves during cooking in rural areas. PAH contents of PM2.5 and PM2.5 - 10 fractions were analyzed using HPLC/FLD and SPM and CO were monitored in realtime. Mean ± SD concentrations of PM2.5 related ∑11PAHs, PM and CO were 2127 ± 1173 ng/m3, 1686 ± 973 μg/m3 and 28 ± 9 ppm for wood stoves; and 158 ± 106 ng/m3, 315 ± 205 μg/m3 and 42 ± 21 ppm for charcoal stoves, respectively. PAHs were largely associated with PM2.5 than PM2.5 - 10. Maximum 1-hr time averaged ± SD CO concentration for kitchens with wood and charcoal stoves were 44 ± 21 ppm and 77 ± 49 ppm, respectively. Generally, concentrations of PAHs, PM and CO were higher than the WHO recommended guidelines which raise concern with regards to health risks. Given the existing evidence of reduced emissions of PAHs, PM and CO from cleaner fuels, a transition from cooking with wood and charcoal to cleaner fuels would provide an improvement in indoor air quality, a requirement for good health.
Highlights
The release of air pollutants due to burning biomass fuels is recognized to be an important issue for indoor air quality mainly in developing countries
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) production during biomass burning is a multi-step process that is hinged on progressive aromatization and surface reaction yield [30], and the higher yield of PAHs in kitchens with wood stoves relative to charcoal stoves could suggest that the above mentioned processes are more favored in wood fires
The total PM2.5 bound PAHs in the current study was compared with another study using similar PAH members Figure 6(a)
Summary
The release of air pollutants due to burning biomass fuels (wood, dung, crop residue, charcoal) is recognized to be an important issue for indoor air quality mainly in developing countries. These fuels are primarily used for cooking and space heating. Half of the global population, around three billion, depend on biomass fuels for domestic energy [1] These fuels are traditionally burnt in simple stoves with poor combustion efficiency, under poor ventilation conditions. This often results in emission of smoke that contains several health deteriorating substances at varying concentrations which can pose threat to humans. Among the indoor air toxic pollutants generated from kitchen smoke are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); suspended particulate matter (SPM), a form of particulate matter; and carbon monoxide (CO)
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